Commission accepts Leff’s resignation

The Walworth County Commission, Tuesday, Feb. 18, accepted the resignation of Commissioner Don Leff, who is moving out of the area.

Leff, who represents District 5 of the county, will leave that position effective March 31, 2014. His term expires Dec. 31, 2014.

Walworth County Auditor Rebecca Krein will advertise for volunteers to fill the remainder of the term. The names of people wishing to serve will be brought before the commission at their March 27 meeting and the members will vote on Leff’s replacement.

Since chairman Denis Arbach will be absent from the meeting, Krein will vote on who will finish Leff’s term if necessary.

The commission tabled a request from Dean Marske of HKG and Associates of Aberdeen for a payment of $35,000 to move forward with plans for a new 35-bed addition to the Walworth County Jail and for public meetings before the November election to educate the public on the project.

Commissioner Duane Martin voiced his disapproval of moving forward with the new jail, citing the move toward rehabilitation rather than incarceration on the state and national level.

He told the group he would work hard to keep this project from continuing.

The commission also voted to reject the request of Walworth County jail employees who wanted back-pay for time docked when proper protocol, according to the facility’s policy manual, was not used. In November the commission had reversed the Sheriff’s Department’s decision to suspend without pay jailer Josh Nelson at the recommendation of jail supervisor Brian Rawstern.

Since that time, other jailers have aired their dissatisfaction with the decision and requested the same consideration in other incidents.

Commissioner Phillyss Pudwill made the motion to deny these requests, as the jailers did not file the grievances in a timely manner. The motion was approved.

In a related matter, Sheriff Duane Mohr presented the commission with a copy of an updated policy manual to replace the outdated manual now used by the jail staff.

In other business, the Walworth County Commissioners;

• Approved a waiver of liability to cover any damage that may occur during the time records from the assessor’s office are being stored in the abstract building. The records are normally stored at Bank West in Selby, but the bank is currently undergoing renovation and the records needed to be moved from the premises.

• Approved moving the meeting dates in March to Thursday, March 13 and Thursday, March 27.

• Approved the transfer of an alcoholic beverage license from Hoagie’s, dba The Shed, to Junior and Tina Thompson, dba the Campfire Lounge, at 3922 127th Street.

• Approved reimbursing Gary Fliehs for taxes he paid on land that was not in his possession during the tax period for which he was billed. Fliehs paid the taxes in error.

• Approved setting road limits from Saturday, Feb. 15 to Wednesday, April 30 at the discretion of the county road supervisor.

• Approved the biannual inspection of 16 bridges in the county by Clark Engineering of Aberdeen.